Doctors Share Myths, Truths Of Brain Fitness

Exercising your brain may keep it fit, just as exercising your body keeps it in good working order, say scientists who are coming to South Florida for a forum on the brain.

The forum, ``Staying Sharp: What's New in Brain Research,'' will provide information on normal aging, memory, forgetfulness and abnormal brain problems such as Alzheimer's disease, said Dr. Guy McKhann, professor of neurology and director of the Mind/Brain Institute at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. McKhann will be on the panel of speakers at the forum, which is sponsored by the American Association of Retired Persons.

``Studies indicate that people do well if they remain mentally active, physically active, and if they keep a high esteem of themselves,'' McKhann said.

Normal aging does not result in significant memory loss, but the parts of the brain that store new memories may decline with age, he said.

``Forgetting someone's name or forgetting where you left your keys may become more common, but there are strategies to deal with it,'' McKhann said. ``Sometimes simply relaxing can solve the problem.''

McKhann said he and the other panelists - Marilyn Albert, associate professor of psychiatry and neurology at Harvard Medical School, and Dr. David Drachman, chairman of the Department of Neurology at the University of Massachusetts Medical College - will discuss brain fitness, myths and facts about the brain, and will examine what is normal in memory loss and what is not.

One of the myths that has been debunked by researchers is that normal aging includes the loss of brain cells. The loss is modest and the brain is able to compensate for it, Drachman said.

The panel will also will discuss the latest research on Alzheimer's disease.

The forum is scheduled for 1-3 p.m. Saturday at the Parker Playhouse, 707 NE Eighth St., Fort Lauderdale. Admission and parking are free. To reserve a seat, call 800-725-4171 before noon Friday.